Amusement apparatus.



T. E. GREGSON. AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1912.

1,048,152. Patented Dec. 24, 1912.

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T. E; GREGSON. AMUSEMENT APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1912.

Patefited Dec.24, 1912.

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THOMAS E. eREesomoE ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JEEsEY. I

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

To a ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, .THoMAs E. GREGsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlantic City, in the countyof Atlanticand State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusenient Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. t M

My invention relates to mprovements in amusement apparatus, the object of the in-] vention being to provide an improved apparatus of this character in which illusory elevators are employed with improved means for giving tothe occupants of the elevators, the impression of descending and ascending,

together with an improved arrangement of maze constituting a plurality of irregularly arranged passages purporting to be hell.

'A further object is to providean amusement apparatus in which the impression is given of first descending. in an elevator into the lower regions, passing from theelevator through a maze pictorially representing hell, and after finding the way through said maze to the. exit, ascending again to the surface of the earth.

.A. further object is to provide an improved illusory elevator having endless invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinatlons and arrangements of parts, as Wlll be more fully.

aprons at the sides thereof through which flashes of light are discernible, and provide improved means for providing a vibratory motion of the elevator, whereby the occu pantsof the elevator are given the impresxSlO-Ii of descending or ascending.

WVith these and other objects in view, the

hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

p In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1, is'a view in elevation illustrating the front of my improved amusementapparatus. Fig. 2,1s a view on an enlarged scale 1n elevation showing one of the elevators and omitting parts in front of the elevator for purposes of clearness. Fig. 3, is a plan view of the apparatus. Fig. 4, is a plan view of one of the elevators, and Figs. 5, and 6, are views at right angles to each other illustrating one of the endless aprons. I

My improved amusement apparatus com-f prises a building 1 which is divided into three principal sections, namely, a front en trance or lobby section 2, an intermediate elevator compartment 3, and a maze 4E. The

Specification of LettersPatent.

7 Application filed June 10, 1912. Serial No. 702,866.

entrance or lobby compartment is rendered Patented Dec. 24, 1912.

ornamental and attractive, preferably by V the employment of suitable columns 5, and

is provided with aticket oificefi, and adjacent to this ticket ofiice 6, an entrance door 7: is provided with an exit door 8 adjacent I the other end of the lobby. Thesedoors 7 and 8 lead into passagesf9 communicating I withthe illusory elevators 10 and '11 respec*' tively, and the latter at their opposite sides communicate through passages 12 with the maze compartment 4:. The outlet of elevator 10 into the maze chamber 4 is preferably provided with an ornamental wall 13 having a plurality of entrances 14: into the maze.

o The particular maze employed may of course be varied in many ways, but will be made of suitable material to illustrate rocky or craggy surfaces having cavernsor passages therein suitably illuminated, and provided with grotesque animals and figures to indicate an imaginary reproduction of hell. The idea is that the traveler will find difiiculty in passing through the maze, and in certain passages will find animals and figures which block the passages and render 1 his journey through hell a difficult and dangerous one. I The maze therefore constitutes a battle to this journey, and by reason of the arrangement of wall 13 and entrance 14;,

the traveler willfind himself frequently at transparent sections in all of its sides,

through which the passengers will observe endless aprons 15. on rollers 16 supported onshafts 17 All of theupper shafts 17 are connected by beveled gears 18, so that all the aprons move simultaneously, At the ends of the aprons, partition plates20 are provided and support electric lights 21 which preferably have red globes thereon. The'aprons 15 are provided with a large number of preferably angular openings 22, sothat as they move, they will show flashes of red. Thebottom ofthe ele These aprons 15 turn I o vator is provided with a roller bracket 23 mounted on one end of a lever 24. This lever 24 is fulcrumed between its ends on a bracket 25, and at its other end is connected by a link 26 with a crank disk 27. This crank disk 27 is secured to a shaft 29 supported on an upright 28, and a pulley 30 on said shaft 29 is connected by a belt 31 with a pulley 32 on a shaft 33 driven by a motor 34:. A second pulley 35 on motor shaft 33 is connected by a belt 36 with a pulley 37 on a shaft 38. This shaft 38 is supported in a hanger 39 depending from the ceiling l0, and motion is transmitted from this shaft 38 to one of the shafts 17 through the medium of a belt ll connecting pulleys 42 and 43 respectively on shafts 38 and 17. The vertical vibratory movement of the elevator gives to the passengers, the impression of an elevator as it ascends and descends, and guides 44: are provided to hold the elevator against lateral displacement.

The electric control, of course, may be varied to suit conditions, and if desired some other form of motor may be employed. It is, of course, to be understood that the aprons 15 of elevator 10 will be turning in a direction to give the occupants of the elevator the impression of descending, while the aprons 15 of elevator 11 will be moving in a reverse direction, so that the occupants of this elevator 11 will receive the impression that they are ascending.

In operating the amusement device, a number of persons will be admitted to car 10, and then the aprons 15 will be started and lever 24 oscillated, so that the elevator will be vibrated and due to the flashes of the red light through the perforations 22 in the aprons 15, a weird descending effect will be had. After the proper length of time has passed during this illusory descent, the passengers will be allowed to pass from the opposite side of the elevator into the maze, and after a passage through the maze as above described, they will enter the elevator 11 and an illusory ascent begun, and from this elevator they will be discharged through the exit 8.

It will, of course, be desirable to have elevator conductors in the elevators, and various means other than described may be employed to carry out the illusion.

Various slightchanges might be made in the general form and arrangement of parts described Without departing from my invention, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An amusement apparatus comprising a building divided by vertical walls into three compartments, one end compartment constituting an entrance, the other end compartment constituting a maze, and the intermediate compartment constituting an elevator chamber, two illusory elevators in said last-mentioned chamber, endless aprons at the sides of said elevators, said aprons having openings therein, and lights inside of said aprons, levers fulcrumed between their ends, said levers connected at one end to the elevators, and means for simultaneously oscillating said levers and moving said aprons, substantially as described.

2. An amusement apparatus comprising a maze and an illusory elevator, shafts supported on the elevator at its upper end, beveled gears connecting all of said shafts, rollers on said shafts, endless aprons on said rollers, idle rollers supported on the sides of the elevator over which said aprons move, openings in said aprons, and lights supported inside of the aprons, substantially as described.

3. An amusement apparatus comprising a maze and an illusory elevator, shafts supported on the elevator at its upper end, beveled gears connecting all of said shafts, rollers on said shafts, endless aprons on said rollers, idle rollers supported on the sides of the elevator over Which said aprons move, openings in said aprons, and lights supported inside of the aprons, a lever fulcrumed between its ends and supporting at one end the said elevator, guides directing the vertical movement of said elevator, a crank disk, a link connecting the crank disk with the lever, and a motor constructed to transmit motion to said crank disk and to said first-mentioned shafts, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS E. GREGSON.

Witnesses DANIEL A. MCGRATH, SAMUEL GREosoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

